Benefit from energy and solar metering
Ava’s Solar Billing Plan (SBP) encourages our customers to install solar & storage systems that produce clean renewable energy.
What is the Solar Billing Plan?
The Solar Billing Plan (SBP) is a successor program to Net Energy Metering (NEM) 2.0. The following customers are billed under the Solar Billing Plan:
- The solar system application to interconnect date was completed after April 14, 2023
- The system has completed a 20-year legacy period on NEM 1.0 or NEM 2.0. Customers on NEM 1.0 who transitioned to NEM 2.0 at the end of their legacy period are not permitted to receive an additional 20 years on NEM 2.0.
- The generation capacity of an existing solar system is increased by 1kW or 10% of the current system size.
PG&E implemented its Solar Billing Plan in April 2024 for residential customers. PG&E has requested a delay in implementing the non-residential Solar Billing Plan until March 2026. PG&E’s Solar Billing Plan will affect only the PG&E delivery charges on your bill.
Ava Community Energy has adopted a Solar Billing Plan that will be rolled out in summer 2024 for the generation portion of your bill. Ava’s non-residential SBP rollout will align with PG&E’s non-residential rollout, which may be delayed. Ava’s SBP policy aligns with PG&E’s policy and offers Ava customers additional bonus credits for their exports, the Ava Export Bonus Credit for CARE/ FERA and the Ava Peak Hours Export Bonus Credit. Eligible customers that were previously billed on NEM will transition based on the timing of their PG&E true-up month.
How it Works
The Solar Billing Plan (SBP) creates a two-way conversation between your solar system and the utility grid based on the variation in energy imports and exports. Your interconnection application is with PG&E; you don't need Ava's approval to install solar. Ava offers bonus credits for exports to better compensate you for your system’s generation.
Monthly Statement
- Imports and exports from your solar system are billed separately. Each month, your charges and credits will be summed to calculate your monthly bill.
- Imports are charged based on the retail rate of electricity that aligns with your electric rate schedule. Residential SBP customers are required to be on the E-Elec rate plan with PG&E.
- Exports of excess energy generation will receive compensation in the form of Energy Export Credits (EEC), which vary by hour and day and align with the value of the energy at that time. In addition, eligible customers will receive the following Bonus Credits. All excess credits will rollover month to month.
- Energy Export Bonus Credits (EEBC)- New voluntary residential solar installs will receive additional credits for exports depending on the year they interconnect. PG&E also provides this credit to their customers.
- Ava Export Bonus Credit for CARE/ FERA- All CARE and FERA customers will receive an extra $0.01/ kWh for exports. This is only for Ava customers.
- Ava Peak Hours Export Bonus Credit- All non-CARE/ FERA customers will receive an extra $0.025/ kWh for exports between the hours of 3 and 8 pm. This is only for Ava customers.
Annual True-Up Statement
- At the end of the annual April true-up period, if you produced more electricity than you used, you will be compensated for surplus generation.
- Your annual compensation, or cash-out value, is based on surplus kWh multiplied by the Net Surplus Compensation rate (PDF).
- If your cash-out value was less than $100, this will stay on your account and can be used for future monthly charges. If your cash-out value was greater than or equal to $100, you will be sent a check.
- Cash-out checks are typically sent out in June - July following the April true-up.